Dad was a Genius - Chapter 33
Only Noblemtl
My Dad Was a Genius Episode 033
“… … .”
The loser’s locker room is really quiet.
Everyone bows their heads and says nothing.
The atmosphere becomes even more subdued, especially given the importance of the game that day.
“Wow!!”
“Cheonan! Cheonan!”
And the sound of opposing team players’ cheers outside the locker room bothers them.
This was the loser’s locker room.
“Everyone, raise your heads. What crime have you committed?”
At Coach Cho’s words, the players slowly raised their heads.
“It’s only the 10th round. We’re not even halfway through the K-League regular season. There’s no need to be depressed over just one loss. We just have to win next time.”
“yes.”
“Let’s go. What are we doing here for so long? Everyone, go back and get some rest.”
The players got up from their seats and left the locker room one by one.
However, there was a player who could not get up from his seat until the end.
It was Lee Hae-il who could be said to be the main culprit behind today’s defeat.
“… … .”
Normally, he would kick the door so hard that it would break down, but today he didn’t say anything and just bowed his head. Maybe that’s why.
At first, Coach Cho tried not to say anything, but then he approached him.
“Lee Hae-il.”
“……yes.”
Even the voice is split.
He seems to be quite shocked.
“What you did today was wrong. You’re an adult, so you know that, right?”
There was nothing to refute.
What he did today was something he should never have done.
“But this isn’t just your fault. It’s also my fault. Cha Seong-eun had been building up the build-up since the first half to get you out, but I didn’t realize it.”
Only then did Hae-il raise his head.
The opposing manager tried to send me off?
“From the beginning, Cha Seong-eun was after you so that Cheonan could win. He knew that if he kept provoking you, you would definitely get excited and cause an accident.”
“Is that possible?”
“It’s possible. The opponent is of that type.”
Director Cho continued speaking, crouching down in front of Lee Hae-il.
“Cha Seong-eun is that kind of coach. He figures out his opponent’s weaknesses and exploits them so well. And his opponents don’t even realize that their own weaknesses are being exploited. In a word, he’s a monster.”
The world of directors is scarier than you might think.
I guess I understand why they are called chess movers.
It is said that Lee Hae-il had been building up his game since the first half in order to send himself off.
Isn’t it like the tea ceremony is completely in your hands?
“I think the other team managers were quite shocked after watching the game today. At the same time, they probably knew how to attack Ulsan. All you have to do is motivate yourself, Lee Hae-il.”
Lee Hae-il bit his lips hard.
“So, something like today shouldn’t happen again. Maybe today’s defeat was good medicine for you.”
That was right.
Lee Hae-il also didn’t want to feel like this again.
That is why he made a pledge to himself that he would not repeat the same mistake as today.
‘The tea ceremony is… … .’
At the same time, the desire for revenge also burned.
‘Next time for sure-!’
I will repay this humiliation.
* * *
[Emergency, Cheonan! Cheonan!]
[Our Cheonan is an invincible fleet~! Flying like an eagle, strong like Mt. Taesan~!]
The atmosphere outside Cheonan Sports Complex was truly festive.
All the supporters and citizens who had been cheering for Cheonan, who had set a record of 10 consecutive wins, came out and cheered.
[Currently, all the citizens of Cheonan are gathered together to celebrate the first 10 consecutive wins in K-League history! There are so many people gathered that there is no room to stand. It feels like watching the 2002 World Cup!]
The inside and outside of the stadium were filled with festivities, with flags, Cheonan cheering songs, and even fireworks worth hundreds of millions of won prepared by our chairman.
[Everyone. Our Cheonan is invincible. It is because you are always cheering for the team here. We promise that Cheonan will continue to move forward endlessly toward winning the league!]
Chairman Cha, who had never appeared in the media even once, surprisingly came out to the stadium and made an announcement to the citizens.
I am saying that our Cheonan will definitely win the league.
[Owner! I love you!!]
[The club owner is the best!!]
[You have to stay healthy!!]
Then they responded with enthusiastic support for their father.
After looking around the moving scene for a while, he finally seemed to start shedding tears.
Our Chairman Cha… … I wonder if he’ll really cry if we win the league.
“Emergency, Cheonan, Cheonan~!”
“Our Cheonan fleet is invincible~! A team that has forgotten defeat~!”
This hot atmosphere wasn’t just happening at Cheonan Stadium.
After the game, even the front office staff were in the office with their arms around each other and singing the Cheonan cheering song.
Then, the players and coaches joined in, and the office turned into a scene of chaos.
Of course, even though I am the director, I couldn’t get through this chaos without incident.
“Cha Seong-eun! Cha Seong-eun! Cha Seong-eun!”
The coaches doused me with water and the players held me down and threw towels at me.
It was almost as if we had won.
The record of 10 consecutive wins was enough to get them excited.
“Coach, when Lee Hae-il was sent off, it was like some kind of magic.”
“That’s why. At first, I doubted the coach’s tactics, but I was stupid. Now, even if the coach says the sun will rise in the west tomorrow, I will believe it!”
Naturally, I couldn’t help but question the tactics I used in the first half.
They also never thought that they would aim for understanding so blatantly.
That’s why the opposing team, Ulsan, was also deceived.
But most importantly,
“This victory is yours. Even if you doubted my tactics, didn’t you still believe in them and follow them to the end? The fact that my tactics worked was ultimately thanks to you.”
Without their hard work and passion, we would never have been able to beat Ulsan.
“Ah! Of course, my tactics were amazing.”
Everyone burst into laughter at my serious joke.
“Haha. It’s so funny when the director says something like that.”
“You’re not the type of person to usually brag about yourself.”
“But that’s true. If the coach hadn’t used that tactic, we would have lost without a fight.”
And it’s time to give them a special gift.
“Today, the Chairman of Taesan Group gave various gifts to the players who achieved the record of 10 consecutive wins. A voucher for a 5-star hotel and restaurant operated by Taesan Group, a credit card with benefits only provided to our players, and… … .”
“omg.”
“crazy.”
“Is it true?”
The players gaped at the generous gifts from Taesan Group that came out one after another.
“Yes. Our chairman is really hot when he opens his wallet. But, you guys, think about it. We only won 10 games in a row and this is it. What would happen if you led the team to its first league championship?”
The players gulped at those words.
“Perhaps the chairman will make you all club legends and treat you well for life.”
It wasn’t just words.
If it’s our chairman, he’s more than capable of doing that.
There is a reason why I say this.
“Wow.”
“Long live the chairman!!”
“Let’s really win!”
It was meant to provide new motivation to the players.
Look at how their eyes shine more vividly.
The rewards are very worldly, but whatever.
Aren’t we all in this game to succeed and make a lot of money?
Ultimately, a soccer player’s greatest reward and honor comes down to money.
“Okay. Everyone. Calm down. You should accept my gift too.”
The players who were excited looked at me with their eyes blinking.
“Thanks to you all, I am having a very meaningful day today. And the fans who support our Cheonan. Since you have achieved this great achievement, I would like to repay you.”
The players looked very curious about what I would say.
“There will be no training for two days, tomorrow and the day after. So, please take your time and enjoy your vacation.”
Then the players started cheering even more joyfully than when they had won 10 games in a row.
“Wow, woooooooo!!”
He even started shaking like crazy, as if he had received an electric shock.
That would be the case, because up until now, he has only trained lightly for physical reasons after matches, and he has never stopped training itself.
But the players were so happy with the vacation that was given to them for only two days, not even one.
Looking at it this way, it felt like I was seeing kids who really enjoy their days off from school.
“Thank you all for your hard work. Get some rest and see you in two days.”
“Wow~!”
“Director, I love you~!!”
The players will never forget this night.
They achieved one of the goals they had longed for so desperately.
But there was a bigger goal behind it.
The final destination may be to win… … but that wasn’t me.
I’m looking beyond winning.
An unprecedented record in K-League history, a record that will never be broken.
I’m looking at it.
“… … .”
The festive atmosphere that had been in full swing came to an end and the players and staff went home.
It was the end of a happy and chaotic day.
But my day wasn’t over, it was just beginning.
I was left alone in the director’s office, looking over several files.
dripping-.
Just then someone knocked on the door.
“Director. This is Team Leader Kim Tae-hwan.”
“Oh, yes. Come in.”
I thought everyone had left work, but it looks like the manager was still there.
“Oh, sir. Aren’t you going to get off work?”
“There’s still something to look into. Players can skip training, but coaches can’t miss even a single day.”
The captain shook his head as if he was tired.
If I had won 10 games in a row, I would have taken a break, but I’m obsessed with soccer.
“I’m worried that you might get hurt.”
“No. It’s my father’s birthday, so I’ll be going home soon. You should also hurry up and get off work.”
“Yes. Then let’s go in first. But you must take good care of yourself. If the manager gets sick, it would be a big deal for our club. Haha.”
“Thank you. See you in two days.”
“Yes, Director.”
Actually, it’s not that I didn’t want to leave work early.
But I wanted to do a little more analysis, knowing that our next opponent would be the toughest team we’d ever faced.
A mountain of documents about Pohang.
In fact, my analysis of Pohang’s strengths had begun before I became the manager.
Because they are the team to win this season.
‘If everything goes as planned, Pohang will win this season.’
The reason I remember this is because 2013 was a turbulent year for the K-League.
There is something that always comes up, especially when learning tactics in leadership courses.
This is Pohang’s shocking defensive tactic that appeared in the K League in 2013.
Wasn’t it Pohang that perfectly sank Ulsan, Seoul, and even Suwon, which were called the invincible fleet at that time?
‘I guess it would be right to say that it is a fundamentally different tactic.’
A tactic designed not to win, but to avoid conceding goals.
That was the iron wall of Pohang.
“perhaps…….”
They may be the only team in the K League right now that can stop our winning streak.